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Field Listing :: Children under the age of 5 years underweight
This entry gives the percent of children under five considered to be underweight. Underweight means weight-for-age is approximately 2 kg below for standard at age one, 3 kg below standard for ages two and three, and 4 kg below standard for ages four and five. This statistic is an indicator of the nutritional status of a community. Children who suffer from growth retardation as a result of poor diets and/or recurrent infections tend to have a greater risk of suffering illness and death.

Country Comparison Ranking

By Country Listing of the values for the Children under the age of 5 years underweight field
Country Children under the age of 5 years underweight
Afghanistan
19.1% (2018)
Albania
1.5% (2017)
Algeria
3% (2012)
Angola
19% (2016)
Argentina
1.7% (2018/19)
Armenia
2.6% (2016)
Azerbaijan
4.9% (2013)
Bangladesh
21.9% (2017/18)
Barbados
3.5% (2012)
Belize
4.6% (2015)
Benin
16.8% (2018)
Bhutan
12.7% (2010)
Bolivia
3.4% (2016)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
1.6% (2012)
Brunei
9.6% (2009)
Bulgaria
1.9% (2014)
Burkina Faso
17.7% (2018)
Burma
18.5% (2016)
Burundi
27.2% (2018/19)
Cambodia
24.1% (2014)
Cameroon
11% (2018)
Central African Republic
20.8% (2018)
Chad
29.4% (2015)
Chile
0.5% (2014)
China
2.4% (2013)
Colombia
3.7% (2015/16)
Comoros
16.9% (2012)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
23.4% (2013)
Congo, Republic of the
12.3% (2015)
Costa Rica
Cote d'Ivoire
12.8% (2016)
Djibouti
29.9% (2012)
Dominican Republic
4% (2013)
Ecuador
5.1% (2014)
Egypt
7% (2014)
El Salvador
5% (2014)
Equatorial Guinea
5.6% (2011)
Eritrea
39.4% (2010)
Eswatini
5.8% (2014)
Ethiopia
21.1% (2019)
Gabon
6.4% (2012)
Gambia, The
10.3% (2018)
Gaza Strip
1.4% (2014)

note: estimate is for Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Georgia
1.1% (2009)
Germany
0.5% (2014/17)
Ghana
12.6% (2017/18)
Guatemala
12.4% (2015)
Guinea
16.3% (2018)
Guinea-Bissau
17% (2014)
Guyana
8.2% (2014)
Haiti
9.5% (2017)
Honduras
7.1% (2012)
India
33.4% (2016/18)
Indonesia
17.7% (2018)
Iran
4.1% (2011)
Iraq
3.9% (2018)
Jamaica
2.2% (2014)
Japan
3.4% (2010)
Jordan
3% (2012)
Kazakhstan
2% (2015)
Kenya
11.2% (2014)
Kiribati
14.9% (2009)
Korea, North
9.3% (2017)
Korea, South
0.7% (2010)
Kuwait
3% (2014)
Kyrgyzstan
1.8% (2018)
Laos
21.1% (2017)
Lesotho
10.5% (2018)
Liberia
13.6% (2016)
Libya
11.7% (2014)
Madagascar
26.4% (2018)
Malawi
11.8% (2018)
Malaysia
13.7% (2016)
Maldives
17.7% (2009)
Mali
18.6% (2018)
Marshall Islands
11.9% (2017)
Mauritania
19.2% (2018)
Mexico
4.2% (2016)
Moldova
2.2% (2012)
Mongolia
1.9% (2018)
Montenegro
1% (2013)
Morocco
2.6% (2017/18)
Mozambique
15.6% (2014/15)
Namibia
13.2% (2013)
Nepal
27.2% (2016)
Nicaragua
4.6% (2012)
Niger
21.8% (2018)
Nigeria
21.8% (2018)
North Macedonia
1.3% (2011)
Oman
11.2% (2017)
Pakistan
23.1% (2018)
Panama
Papua New Guinea
27.8% (2010)
Paraguay
1.3% (2016)
Peru
2.6% (2018)
Philippines
19.1% (2018)
Rwanda
9.6% (2015)
Saint Lucia
2.8% (2012)
Samoa
3.2% (2014)
Sao Tome and Principe
8.8% (2014)
Senegal
13.3% (2019)
Serbia
1.8% (2014)
Seychelles
3.6% (2012)
Sierra Leone
13.6% (2019)
Solomon Islands
16.2% (2015)
Somalia
23% (2009)
South Africa
5.9% (2016)
South Sudan
27.7% (2010)
Sri Lanka
20.5% (2016)
Sudan
33.1% (2014)
Suriname
5.8% (2010)
Syria
5.8% (2009/10)
Tajikistan
7.6% (2017)
Tanzania
14.6% (2018)
Thailand
6.7% (2016)
Timor-Leste
37.5% (2013)
Togo
15.2% (2017)
Tonga
1.9% (2012)
Trinidad and Tobago
4.9% (2011)
Tunisia
1.6% (2018)
Turkey
1.5% (2018/19)
Turkmenistan
3.2% (2015)
Uganda
10.4% (2016)
United States
0.5% (2012)
Uruguay
4% (2011)
Uzbekistan
2.9% (2017)
Vanuatu
11.7% (2013)
Venezuela
2.9% (2009)
Vietnam
13.4% (2017)
West Bank
1.4% (2014)

note: estimate is for Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Yemen
39.9% (2013)
Zambia
11.8% (2018/19)
Zimbabwe
9.7% (2019)